Posted on April 06 2020
This lockdown period is the PERFECT time to try a new skill, language or hobby. You likely have more time on your hands, and with everything now available online, costs of classes and lessons can be found much lower than during normal times.
Our Founder Mary has tried sound healing; meditation through sound, often using Tibetan or crystal singing bowls. She says: "For years and years, people have said I should try meditation, to calm my mind and increase focus and clarity. But I have struggled so badly. I just don't get on with a deliberately calming voice telling me to focus on my breathing and running through my body parts and "plinky plonky" (no offence intended to anyone) music. But I happened to come across Tibetan singing bowls at YogaFit and absolutely loved their sound and the vibration they send through your body. No more awkwardness, no more giggling and fidgeting- I just slid into that groove.
So when our friend Lucy Victoria Jackson offered an online gong bath with crystal bowls, I jumped at the opportunity. What a gorgeous, relaxing hour it was. And I was able to get straight to bed as I was already in PJs. Bliss!"
We're so happy we can share that hour here with you.
Watch Lucy's Sound Bowl session.
We also asked Lucy to explain a bit about sound therapy:
ILU: What is a Sound Bath & are there different types?
Lucy: A Sound Bath is a deeply relaxing and immersive experience. Nope, you don’t bathe in water, but it certainly feels as though you’re surrounded by & held by the sounds created by the Sound practitioner.
Each Sound Bath is different. The main “instruments” a sound practitioner might use are Gongs, Tibetan bowls and crystal bowls. Sometimes a Sound Bath will include just one of these elements, sometimes just two, & sometimes all three. It depends on the individual practitioner and their expertise. (And it can also include other elements too such as voice, Koshi bells, didgeridoo, hang drums & more!). For me I keep it simple with crystal singing bowls & Koshi bells.
ILU: What does it do to you & why is it good for you?
Lucy: When a Sound is created, it creates a Sound wave. This wave will be absorbed by anything / anyone in its vicinity. Science knows the healing potential of certain waves, such as a radiotherapy wave used in cancer treatment, or oscillation therapy waves which are used in Physiotherapy to reduce swelling. On a basic level these waves will help to shift anything that might be “stuck”.
And it’s not just the body that can have healing benefits from Sound. My expertise is in crystal singing bowls, & in our training we explored how the sound waves can actually affect our brain chemistry. When we are active in the day our brain waves are quite hectic - up & down, up & down - as we need to be alert and switched on for potential dangers. As we enter our safe space at the end of the day our brain waves will calm a little to the Alpha wave. But to sleep we need the Theta brain wave (8hz & below) - and lots of us struggle to achieve this therefore struggling with insomnia / light sleeping. So the waves create by the bowls are actually at a frequency that will work bring our brain waves to Theta (hence very often people fall asleep in Sound Baths!).
ILU: How did you get into Sound Healing?
Lucy: My first love in the wellness industry was yoga. And many years ago I went to a day retreat in London purely for the yoga, but what I wasn’t expecting was the beautiful Sound Bath at the end of the retreat held by Earth Angel Carly Grace Gilbert... it quite literally took my breath away. I genuinely felt like angels were singing in the room and had never experienced that level of relaxation so instantly. I never expected that I would be able to hold Sound Baths myself, but finally in 2017 Carly opened up a training course with her teacher Yantara Jiro and I just knew that I was meant to sign up...ever since then I‘ve been sharing the magic of the bowls...
ILU: Is it different in person and online?
Lucy: Yes, a little. The healing potential is more in person, as of course the waves are diluted online. However, you can still receive some of the benefits and it is still a deeply relaxing experience (and the big plus is that there is no travel after! You can stay in your little bubble of relaxation and go straight to bed! I genuinely drove on the wrong side of the road after a Sound Bath once, so by listening online you avoid any chance of this!).
ILU: Any tips for getting the most out of them?
Lucy: Be open minded. Get comfy. Release all expectations (especially if you have experienced many Sound Baths before). Create your sacred space at home - light some candles, apply your favourite essential oil, & turn off all devices (aside from the one you’re listening to the Sound Bath on of course). And most of all just allow yourself to “be”.
We'd love to know what you thought of Lucy's sound bath. Let us know over on social!
